Das Ding - Two Tapes

The Netherlands have a strong tradition in minimal synth bands, some of which re-surface every now and then, like Ensemble Pittoresque, but there is more to discover, like Das Ding. Danny Bosten was from Terneuzen (I think) and ran Tear Apart Tapes. His first release was a split c20 with Les Yeux Interdits, which was one J. de Koeyer. Another release, the 'Kalkulator' compilation will be posted later. I have none other releases on this label, although there is at least one other Das Ding release on this label. The other Das Ding release is on Dier's Stichting Update Materials label and also a c20. Great minimal synth as they could only make in the early 80s.

Das Ding/Les Yeux Interdits, tape, Tear Apart Tapes tat 001, 198?
Das Ding - Highly Sophisticated Technological Achievement, tape, Stichting Update Materials st 008, 198?

download

De Div - Europa Is Hier (LP, Plexus, 1982)

This is their first full length LP and you will find, in some cases, new versions of songs already on the Pasodoble cassette, posted earlier on. I am quite surprised how great this all sounds after so many years. Thanks to Gerco for sharing this with us - and he has some more great stuff to follow soon.


download

Der Junge Hund - Europa's Ladenversuch (double tape, Kremlin Products kr 007, 198?)

A long time ago, I posted the two pieces of vinyl released by Der Junge Hund, now it's time for a double tape by them. 'Europa's Ladenversuch' is a sixty minute tape of recordings made in Berlin, Zaandam, Eindhoven, Groningen, Apeldoorn, Heemstede and Amsterdam. The band grew to a four piece in this period: Renz Zanders on voice and guitar, Horst Rickels (sax), Rik van Iersel (drums) and Ole vd Beuken on guitar. The other tape was a fifteen minute studio tape. The live tape isn't the best in quality. Two more live tapes were released, which will be posted soon, and they show much better the raw dynamic of this free jazz punk combo.

download

Mark van Kempen - Egotrip (tape, Kubus Kassettes, 1982)

Kubus Kassettes was one of the better Dutch labels, who released a variety of musical styles. From ambient to rock to... well to classify this release by Mark van Kempen is difficult. I have no idea who he is, but he released two cassettes on Kubus, 'Zwart Wit/De Apostelen Der Liefde' being the second which I don't have, and 'Egotrip' is his first one. 'Egotrip' is was recorded on 52 saturday afternoons in 1981 using a sound on sound Revox A77. A most odd potpourri of music for guitars, drums, voices and such like and certainly a work that took him a lot of time. I tried to index this, but I failed, especially for the b-side it's hard to figure out when a track starts and stops. But it's a hilarious thing for sure.

download

Rotterdam Collection (LP, Backstreet/Backlash, 1980), Rotterdam Spunk (Plastic Cheese, 1983)

Ok, with all the recent postings about cassettes, which I think is great and something you should be downloading, because it's great music, we should not forget Dutch Punk. These two LPs are not just about punk, well 'Rotterdam Collection' isn't, but about all sorts of great music. On Rotterdam Collection there is Rondos and Tandstickorshocks, as well other more rock oriented bands. 'Rotterdam Spunk' is not mentioned in 'Het Gejuich Was Massaal', but I am sure this all punk LP will appeal to some.

Rotterdam Spunk (LP, Plastic Cheese 240883, 1983)
Rotterdam Collection (LP, Backstreet Backlash Records bbr 0001, 1980)



download

Young Lions - Small World (tape, Amphibious Records A004, 1982)

I posted some of their music, although this is hardly to be compared to the Plurex 12" before. Here the Young Lions are a five piece of Tim Benjamin, Ronald Heiloo, Peter Mertens, Harold Schellinx and Rob Scholte and 'Small World' was recorded at one the Ultra evenings in Oktopus, Amsterdam, October 22nd 1980 and musicwise more along the lines of the 7" various members put out before. It was first released on their own Link Tapes and later re-issued by their own Amphibious Records label.

download

Jeroen Huisman & Roelof Bakker - Don't Use Violence (tape, Bijna Alles Kan 001, 1983), Herzog - Laughing In The Warmth (tape, Bijna Alles Kan 002, 198

When the Dutch Popinstituut mailed back the box of tapes to me, I also dusted off the latest version I could find of Frans de Waard's Nederlandse Cassette Catalogus because I was thinking I could now finally post all the works by such and such and such label. How disapointing, since a blink in this small bible of cassettes learned me that there is very little that I have complete, it will be scattered pictures. But one label that is complete and presented today is Bijna Alles Kan (almost anything goes), who released two twenty minutes. The first one is by labelowners Jeroen Huisman and Roelof Bakker, the second by Herzog. I have no idea who is behind Herzog and Jeroen and Roelof never told me. They lived in a nearby village so I went there on my bike. Both releases are electronic, with vocals and political lyrics, certainly in the case of the Huisman/Bakker. They also had a bootleg cassette for sale with, I think, Joy Division's concert in Eindhoven but also a long version of 'Isolation', by Hannett that was supposed to be a 12". I never heard anything anywhere else about this piece. Roelof Bakker these days lives in London and Jeroen Huisman is a visual artist in Arnhem. True long forgotten music, but quite nice one and surely one should hear.

download